INERS Passive Working Devices

The machines in Antal Lakner’s INERS Passive Working Devices series transform seemingly meaningful human activity—the individual phases of repetitional production processes—into meaningless physical exertion, leisure activity and entertainment, whilst immaterialising work itself. The idea of buying a wall-painting workout machine and turning work into sport by painting a non-existent wall, sawing, or pushing a make-believe wheelbarrow is, of course, no more absurd than being the proud owner of an indoor bike or a rowing bench. However, the question arises just what exactly we are working on (or out) when sweating away on these reality-replacing, virtual machines? Obviously ourselves. The reason why we give ourselves up to the early-1960s creation of post-modern technological civilisation, the cult of physical fitness, is to reclaim everything that our bodies—lazy and alienated by over-consumption—have lost as a result of technological development and industrialisation.
Made specially for the 49th Venice Biennial (and for hire on the exhibition grounds), the Art Mobile—Human Powered Biennale Vehicle causes culture-consumption, entertainment, and seemingly effortless meandering to become physical exertion, and as a consequence it contributes to our experiencing the art and perception rituals of the Giardini di Castello as effective and practical use of means.